From 8-9pm, up against Fox’s American Idol and CBS comedies, ABC’s Missing once again more than doubled the audience of NBC’s original comedy block (+155% over Community/30 Rock) and tied among Adults 18-49. Picking up audience throughout its broadcast, the new ABC drama gained viewers (+4%) and young adults (+8%) from its first half-hour to its second half-hour.

· Missing’s overall audience grew week to week by 10% week to hit a 3-week high. In addition, the freshman series drew 27% more viewers to the hour for ABC year to year, topping original programming on the year-ago night.

More than doubling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm (+107%), ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy moved up to #1 in its time period among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. In fact among Adults 18-49, Grey’s beat out Fox’s Idol-driven Touch during the 9 o’clock hour by 26%. Additionally, Grey’s stood as Thursday’s #1 TV show across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Grey’s was up week to week in viewers (+7%) and young adults (+4%).

Continuing to exhibit solid retention of its Grey’s lead-induring the 10 o’clock hour, ABC’s Scandal ranked #1 among Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. In the hour, ABC’s Scandalmore than doubled its freshman drama competition, defeating NBC’s Awake by 188% in Total Viewers, by 170% in Adults 25-54 and by 133% in Adults 18-49. In addition, the new drama won its slot among Women 18-49 and Women 25-54 for the 2nd week in a row.

· Bucking the general trend for new shows, ABC’s Scandal was up over its week-ago debut across a number of key demos: Total Viewers (+3%), AD18-34 (+15%), AD18-49 (+5%) and AD25-54 (+4%).

· Scandal attracted ABC’s largest audience in the time period in more than 3 months – since 1/5/12.

Scandal is really an amazing show, it has potential, I’m glad that is reflected in the ratings.

Cyn

I just hope people stick to it despite the tough competition. It’s a good show.

Lee M

I’m enjoying Scandal. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Kerry Washington in anything before, but she’s handling the top role pretty well. I like the energy of the show. Things move along without a lot of naval gazing. I’d be disappointed if ABC doesn’t give this a chance to discover an audience.

rob60990

“I just hope people stick to it despite the tough competition. It’s a good show.”

What tough competition? A rerun and a flop?

Lamdog

I love Missing however the fundamental problem of the show is starting to appear. How long will the audience maintain interest in the ideal of Becca chasing around the world after her son’s kidnappers? One season, two season…

Lizam

I would say Scandal did have tough competition in that it is a new show and unlike that ‘rerun’ does not have an established audience.

Melanie

Great job for Scandal. I am really enjoying this show and I hope they can keep it up.

USAmerica1st

Love “Scandal”! The Olivia Pope character (Kerry Washington) seems to be loosely similar to the “Person of Interest” Zoe Morgan character (Paige Turco). Good move by producer Shonda Rhimes.

Sid

I really want this show to last. Kerry Washington is amazing!

profTV

Scandal will be up against new epis of Persons of Interest (a terrific show with a terrific cast a great #s) when PoI is new Scandal #s will go down. I hope DVR is counted, because I really like both shows and really hope Scandal grows…mega potential….Kerry Washington is awesome!!!

Meliwa

I think Scandal’s pilot epi ratings were hurt by almost universal comments from the critics on how the show gets better past the pilot. So I think people were taking that to heart. I really like Scandal and I ended up telling someone else about the show last night. That may be how this show will grow its audience.

Sam

Well, I think Scandal proves itself to have better retention out of GA vs. PP considering how far down GA’s ratings have been this mid-season. So, it should be renewed, which is great, because it truly is an interesting show.

ALFFAN

My issue with the pilot (and I haven’t seen last night’s episode yet) is that how I can suspend belief and believe this woman is having an affair with the President of the United States. Really, she’s that well connected. I think the show, without that side story, would’ve been good on its own. It was like it was totally used for shock value.

On a side note, I’m a little tired of ABC’s hype. Body Of Proof had a 1.9 out of DWTS’s 2.3 – an 83% retention up against originals on NBC and CBS. Scandal got a 2.1 out of the 2.9 from GA up against an original on NBC with under a 1.0 (Awake), and a repeat on CBS – only 72% retention.

Body of Proof, with the last three weeks of ratings looks like an automatic renewal to me. It has done very well against its lead in – and that should be considered since ABC’s endless press releases and hype about this show talk about retention.

CC

“My issue with the pilot (and I haven’t seen last night’s episode yet) is that how I can suspend belief and believe this woman is having an affair with the President of the United States.”

yeah, because that’s never happen before.

“Really, she’s that well connected.”

Guess you miss the part where she used to work in the white house.

Babygate

@USAmerica1st
Actually, the character of Olivia Pope is based on real-life crisis management expert, Judy Smith, who actually worked in the White House under the first Bush Administration.\

Although I could fault the show on the not-so-subtle political leanings (a republican president who appears to be a cheating douchbag and a main character wanting to refuse a case because she ‘hates republicans’), I find the show engaging, entertaining and the writing is superb with the 2nd episode being even better than the pilot. I hope ABC gives this show a chance for another season. Especially when they’ve had it ready since last year and yet chose to air it in the spring, toward the end of the season when ratings are historically lower.

Lauren

@ALFFAN
So I guess you have never heard of Monica Lewinsky,Marilyn Monroe,the lady with outside of Ladybird,etc.

frank

I’m sure if Missing has a second season a different plot will be devised and her son will be rescued by this season’s end. The show is good escapist fun!!

meme

Everyone should be watching SCANDAL! That is the perfect name for it! Every episode builds more & more. I especially love the character of Olivia Pope…confident, smart, independant, and doesn’t take crap from ANYONE!